The federal charges follow a lengthy investigation dubbed “Operation Dark Night,” which was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

On Wednesday, in addition to a number of arrests and searches, federal authorities rescued 11 women alleged to have been forced into prostitution.

United States Attorney Edward Tarver said in a press release: “In what essentially amounts to slavery in the year 2013, the conduct described in the indictment against these defendants is reprehensible. Human trafficking is a cancer facing our society. This indictment confirms that the United States Attorney’s Office, HSI and other federal and state law enforcement agencies are taking an aggressive stand to stop the victimization of women involved in sex trafficking.”

“ICE investigates a wide array of crimes, but the trafficking of women and girls for prostitution is among the most sinister,” said ICE Director John Morton.

“Few crimes so damage their victims and undermine basic human decency. Our fight against this evil must be relentless, both here and abroad.”

According to allegations in the indictment, Joaquin Mendez-Hernandez, aka El Flaco, conspired with each of the defendants to transport people across interstate boundaries to engage in prostitution.

In addition, Mendez-Hernandez allegedly conspired with at least three others to entice women from Mexico, Nicaragua and elsewhere to travel to the United States with false promises of the American dream.

Once inside the United States, these women were allegedly threatened and forced to commit acts of prostitution at numerous locations in Savannah and throughout the Southeast.

In one such instance identified in the indictment, Mendez-Hernandez is alleged to have told a Mexican woman that she would be sent back to her home country unless she serviced 25 clients a day.

Also named in the indictment are:

* Luisa Capilla-Lancho, aka Marisol

* Juan Carlos Pena

* David Reyes

* Sylvia Barrera

* Antonio Ramirez-Catalan, aka Joel

* Daniel Ribon-Gonzalez

* Marisol Ferreriras

* Paresh Patel

* First Name Unknown/Last Name Unknown, aka Dona Rosa

* First Name Unknown/Last Name Unknown, aka Peluqillas

* First Name Unknown/Last Name Unknown, aka Roger, Juan De Dios, Juan Diablo

Operation Dark Night was led by HSI, with assistance from the FBI; the ATF; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; CBP Air and Marine Operations; IRS-Criminal Investigations; the Savannah-Chatham police department; the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office; the Garden City Police Department; and, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team. Assistant United States Attorneys Tania D. Groover and E. Greg Gilluly Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Read more in Friday's Savannah Morning News and here at savannahnow.com.

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My house has been burglarized twice in the past 13 months. No one has been caught, the stuff never recovered. But the cops have busted all of the whores and a guy growing weed, which are the only two victimless crimes. Go figure.

... forced sex activity but it is always shocking to find it in your own backyard. Based on the names, I can't help but wonder how many of the perps were illegals? Shocking and sad, throw the book at the lowlifes.

Great reporting. Let me emphasize that I wanted a picture of Chief Lovett. I have only seen a photo of him sitting down, never standing up. It may be worth alot of money to a collector. Thank you, SMN.

they would be in school not hooking on the streets. Sorry but no remorse here for these women and girls. Or anyone that comes in to this country illegally. When you come into the U.S illegally you are signing up to be a victim right off the bat. So they made bad choices and these creeps knew where there was easy money. They will only deport them all to one day sneak back into this country.